DP World has deployed 17 automated electric rubber-tired gantry cranes at its South Container Terminal in Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah Islamic Port, part of a $56 million (SR210 million) investment.
The Dubai-based port operator said the cranes cut annual carbon dioxide emissions per crane by about 64% compared with conventional diesel-powered equipment, according to a company statement reported by Transport and Logistics Middle East.
The terminal’s fleet now totals 77 rubber-tired gantry cranes. Fifty of them, or about 65%, are electric and automated.
The cranes form part of an $800 million modernization program at the South Container Terminal, the company said. The program includes infrastructure upgrades, larger yard capacity and plans to raise annual handling capacity to 5 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) from 3.9 million.
Operators run the cranes from dedicated control stations. Their fully electric drive systems remove direct diesel exhaust emissions and reduce noise during operation, DP World said.
“Our continued investment in Jeddah is focused on delivering a more efficient, reliable and competitive terminal for our customers,” said Mohammad Alshaikh, Chief Executive Officer of DP World KSA.
He said combining automation and electrification would help the terminal handle growing trade volumes while reducing the environmental impact of its operations.
